Will WMATA Start Letting Riders Eat on the Metro?

Isbella Diaz
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Declining ridership has meant low revenue for WMATA, and the transit authority is trying to find new ways to make money.

A committee of the Metro Board will now consider a proposal to allow food concessions in the Metro Rail system.

In addition to food, Metro is also considering allowing retailer concessions into stations. Lifting a ban on alcohol-related advertising has also been put on the table.

Critics say selling food in the stations will encourage people to break the longstanding law against bringing food and drinks on the trains. In essence, it just seems counter-intuitive.

Meanwhile Metro staff says the ban on eating food while riding on the Metro would still hold, even if food concessions were allowed in the Metro system.